The present invention broadly relates to weaving machines and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved construction of a weaving machine having a weft thread supply roll or cone which remains outside the weaving shed during weft insertion and from which weft thread is unwound during weft insertion as well as a selvedge-tucking needle for tucking ends of the weft thread which lie outside the weaving shed into a subsequent weaving shed.
In a known weaving machine of this type (cf. German Pat. No. 1,710,353, granted Mar. 2, 1972) the weft thread end is held by means of an edge thread clamp, is conducted over a selvedge-tucking needle having a hook and is subsequently laid into the weaving shed by the selvedge-tucking needle. The mechanical motion of the edge thread clamp and the subsequent transfer of the weft thread end to the selvedge-tucking needle requires a relatively long time within the operating cycle of the weaving machine. An increase in the operating speed of the weaving machine is limited by, among other things, this thread transfer procedure.